Model History: Oldsmobile Cutlass

A look at the progression of the various versions of the Oldsmobile Cutlass from 1961 to 1999.

[@duanenicpon8024]

I've owned a 68 442 and a black silver 86 442 sunroof...I will tell you this,I never smiled so much as when I opened the garage door and a 68 and 86 442 sat there....satisfying 😊..I loved both those cars for each of their attributes

[@SeaTravelr123]

What a walk down memory lane...cousin had a 73, neighbor had a 74.... I had a 78... Loved those Cutlass' I think I need to add one to my corral....

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I understand.

[@johnneves9580]

Hi from Sacramento, CA I have a 86 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham with a 307V8 all white. It's been a wonderful car. 36 yes old and still going strong.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Greetings from Idaho. I don't think I've ever seen one all white. Hopefully you will be able to enjoy it for many years to come.

[@inova11901]

Had the Blue one. Same engine. Had it 14 years and 160,000 miles. I miss it.

[@ev1558]

My first "cool" car was a '86 Cutlas Salon with T-tops. Still have it today :)

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Cool.

[@TheRasta4ri]

Ever heard the expression bring '88 back? The reference is for Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Classic 1988 the single most iconic G body/frame automobile.

[@ManFurMan]

I had a 76 Cutlass Supreme Brougham and I loved that car. Thank you for this video.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks for watching.

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

my dad got his driver's license in a 1974 Cutlass S sport coupe and I've always admired the 442 and the cutlass convertible

[@thehopelesscarguy]

A Cutlass S with the swivel bucket seats?

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

@@thehopelesscarguy yes I believe so though dad traded it in in 1978 to buy his 1979 Toyota Corolla station wagon though he misses both of those cars now the Corolla wagon lasted nearly 8 yrs after that he had a red 1980 Buick Century or regal sedan that had been uncle Rico's when it was new

[@Marc816]

Years ago. me, my family and friends had a lot of 1960s and 1970s Cutlasses. All excellent cars. The best of the bunch: my 1972 442 455 W-25.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Cool

[@NoStringsAttached777]

Hi from New Zealand, I own a '65 Old's Sport Coupe which still retains the factory 330ci 315hp small block engine. Oldsmobiles are rare down here so it was good to see all of the different versions of the Cutlass. Thanks very much for what must be a lot of work.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Sweet. I bet it gets a lot of attention.

[@johnelliott7375]

My neighbor had a 72 Cutlass S coupe and he took out the 350 and he put in a 455 and it was a dangerous car. Great evening and thanks for sharing and the memories.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I imagine it could be.

[@michaelb.42112]

EVERY single year and model of the Cutlas is pleasing to look at. My grandma used to own a few back in the 80's and they were maybe $300 bucks each !

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Now that is a deal I could go for.

[@MA_808]

The '80s Cutlass was one of the nicest handling cars you could ever drive. Tight turning radius and great handling at all speeds. My Dad had an '81 and he kept it for a long time till it stopped in the mid 90's. We should have had it fixed and kept driving it. RIP Dad....

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Aw, sorry to hear that.

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

I loved and enjoyed this history video about the Olds Cutlass. Please please keep them coming!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks.

[@richardb9591]

Great video - thanks for putting it together. Back in the early 80s I bought a pre-owned '79 Cutlass Supreme and it was the best car I had ever owned up to that point - it looked good, it drove well and it was very reliable. Looking back, I think the best Cutlass series of all was the 3rd generation, built from 1968 to 1972. I'd love to have a 1972 Cutlass Supreme Convertible with the W29 4-4-2 Appearance Package, W30 Performance Package and all the other factory options. 😀 Cheers Richard

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Glad you enjoyed it. I had a friend with a 72 Cutlass S. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wasn't for it.

[@musclecarfan74]

My neighbor had a 70's silver 4-dr, and my parents had a 1987 dark blue Cutlass Sierra 4-dr. My auto shop teacher worked for Oldsmobile during the 70's, and had new cars every few months.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I went to school with 2 guys that had Cutlasses. A 66 442 that got wrecked, and a 73 Cutlass S that the engine blew up in. The 442 engine ended up in the Cutlass S.

[@chopkong]

Interesting channel full of great info. My first car was a second hand '72 Cutlass Supreme 2 door coupe; red with the white interior. It was equipped with the 350 4 barrel Rocket engine. Super sweet ride, although I wished I had the 442 Convertible from that year. Great memories!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Cool, thanks for sharing.

[@RickPalmerNewnanLawyer]

I had the exact Hurst Olds on your thumbnail - great looking car, but was so under powered. Sure wish I could upload some pics!!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I understand.

[@kennethswain6313]

In remembering Olds it’s hard not spend more time on their attempt at making the 8 cylinder diesel. Thanks for the great reviews

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Live'n down a half hearted attempt.

[@wendellellison3482]

Great video! About 30 years ago, when I was a college student on assignment for an engineering firm, I came across the 1972 pace car in the parking lot of the Oldsmobile headquarters in lansing, MI. As I recall, it had less than 30 miles on it! Beautiful ride!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Sweet.

[@jamessawyer8889]

I love that you did a video on the Cutlass, my family had 3 of them, a 68 Cutlass S, a 72 Cutlass Supreme convertible & a 75 Cutlass S GMO, needless to say they were good cars

[@thehopelesscarguy]

That's cool!

[@Mark-zu6oz]

I owned an '86 with a V8. Loved that car!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Nice.

[@Jerry-ok8gj]

I love any Oldsmobile! Thanks for the video.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks for watching.

[@jrgnc1]

My very first car, an '82 custom ordered Cutlass Supreme.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Nice.

[@jefferysmith3930]

What a wild ride that was. They did slap that name on everything. I came close to buying an ‘88 Calais coupe with the Quad 4 and a 5 speed. It was only 3 or 4 years old at the time and very well kept. Rough at idle but quick for its day. The story was it was a part of a special promotion involving the Charlotte Motor Speedway when new where several cars were spec’ed the same. It was a sharp looking car: maroon in and out with a ground effects package and the cross lace alloy wheels. I was scared off by horror stories about head gasket issues

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I had a red 86 Calais sedan with the tech 4 that had been bought new by the wife's grand mother. It was not a hot rod by any means, but it was the last car I got a speeding ticket in. 71 in a 55 on the Eugene "Greenbelt".

[@abodysite]

I know it's not a cutlass but I could not help but notice you left out the 1970 to 1972 Delta 88 W33 optioned RCMP police interceptor. I had one which I had bought in 1986 for $135. Dark brown with a tan fabric interior. 455 TH400. That bugger would top out at 148 on the straight between Aldersyde and High River here in Alberta. I drove it up until 1989 when I pulled the engine and put it in my 1973 Pontiac GTO. Then it would do 163 mph. Not too bad for a car shaped like a brick eh? You should do a show on Delta 88 performance cars, that would be nice. I really did love that car. The weird thing is, it had seatbelts for eight people and shoulder belts for the rear passengers. Anyway great presentation.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks. My step dad had a 71 or 72 Delta 88 Police package right around 1972, and nicknamed it "Shasta". I think my mom still has pictures of us sitting on the trunk of it. I did do a brief history of the 88.

[@ponchoman49]

LOL the 1983/84 Hurst Cutlass coupes ran much better that 18.5 second quarter mile times more like 16 seconds.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

The problem with road test results is the vary greatly. Driver, weather, altitude, options and so on. I try to use a constant source, but still.

[@johnneves9580]

I'm still driving my 86 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham. 307V8 and it runs like a dream. Glad I didn't sell it, now it's a classic in showroom condition.

[@SofaKingQuick]

@@thehopelesscarguy People are dumb and don’t understand the importance of density altitude. They run 18s in good DA.

[@bdpilot28]

My Father bought a brand new 1984 Hurst Oldsmobile. It was silver with black and red accents and a maroon interior. They only made 3k of them. I was there when he bought it. It cost just over 16k at the time.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Cool

[@bdpilot28]

@@thehopelesscarguy It was an awesome car with those lightning shifter rods. It always got a nice wheel when it shifted into second. I wish I had it today.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@bdpilot28 I suspect it might be hard to find one now.

[@rambor1497]

There's nothing more I would love than to have an 85 cutlass supreme brougham. The first car a ever bought and to this day the best. I had to get rid of it because of financial problems now I just enjoy them online.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I know how that goes.

[@RipleyxReactive]

Very detailed list! Good job sir

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thank you.

[@jamesziegler2763]

Cutlass..an endearing name

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I've never thought of it that way.

[@robertp3826]

Remember owning from 79 to 88 cutlass brouhdom. Salons calaias in my days built a lot of them with 403 v8s 1 84 olds cutlass with a 68 350 rocket I dropped in it 350 Chevy from a 307 Chevy eng Owned cutlass with 260 engs love the cutlass and owned a front wheel drive cutlass !!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Sounds like you have a definite taste.

[@skoodabwadi2858]

I have a 1977 cutlass supreme brougham sedan and I've never seen another in person. it belonged to my grandmother. it has a 350 rocket v8 with 60k miles.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Cool.

[@johnelliott7375]

My Grandfather had a 66 sedan with a V8 in it and he had gotten his wife a great 98 in the 67 year and it had the 425 in it and it run like you would not believe for a stock car. His sedan was the S model.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Sounds like he preferred the special feel of an Oldsmobile.

[@anthonywilliams4100]

Family owned 1964 Cutlass 442 1966 Dynamic 88 1967 Toronado 1968 Vista Cruiser 1969 Delta 88 1972 Delta 88 1973 98 1977 Cutlass Sup Brougham (Totaled by a DD) 1981 Cutlass Sup Brougham We liked our Oldsmobiles

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Sounds like it.

[@seanandrews4688]

I had a 73 Cutlass supreme, a 76 Vcvutlass supreme Brougham, 85 Ninety eight & finally a 88 tornado I hate thatchy got dropped from GM...

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Understandable.

[@danielb7660]

Love the waterfall grill on the black 76'? Cutlass.

[@OLDS98]

THANK YOU! The video is appreciated. Very good effort placed into the video and what is involved. I enjoyed the video. Now... one correction. Ciera ran up until 1996. It was not 1999. The only old Oldsmobile still around that was from Oldsmobile's past was the Eighty Eight. It died in 1999. I did like how you explained the Malibu based Cutlass. We called it "Cutlibu". It was intended as you said to replace Ciera as it did in 1997. Oldsmobile's Centeinnal year was 1997. I hope you do a video for the Ninety Eight and Toronado. I really enjoyed the video. Thank you so much.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I found conflicting information on the end of the Ciera, which made me wonder if it carried on in outside markets, but what outside markets Olds might have had at that time I can't imagine.

[@OLDS98]

@@thehopelesscarguy They sold Cieras in Mexico as Chevrolets. It was the Chevrolet Cutlass. They have videos of them here on You Tube. The Cutlibu was not sold in Canada. I hear you on the info too. I recall when it stopped because the Ninety Eight stopped the same year in 1996 then the Eighty Eight "Regency" appeared in 1997.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@OLDS98 I may look into those. Of all the killed off GM divisions, Olds is the saddest to have seen go.

[@OLDS98]

@@thehopelesscarguy I agree. Olds should still be here even if it would be selling a mix of crossovers and suvs and a sedan or two.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@OLDS98 Agreed

[@peterking7202]

Hooray! A new one.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Happens.

[@brenth263]

Great video, You should do more on the " 85 Cutty thats a classic these days, especially when it's a lowrider, very cool

[@thehopelesscarguy]

So many possibilities.

[@johnelliott7375]

I don't know how you found that brown original car, but I commend you for sharing this. Great evening and video. Thanks for sharing your work and time with us.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks for watching

[@g.prince6265]

The 68 body style is the best car ever designed.period!!

[@wildflowers5555]

Great Video.Thanks!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thank you.

[@johnelliott7375]

My grandfather had a one of the first one of the little square ones and he drove it home and turned right around and took it back to the dealership and he got a last of the bigger Chevrolet Caprice and he did the same thing took it back. He eventually got a new 82 Olds 88 sedan with the 307 and his shopping was done.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

It is important to shop around.

[@theosanchez7187]

I have a 85 Cutlass I bought it in high school back in 2004 I still have it

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Nice.

[@TonyM132]

Great job making such a comprehensive video on Cutlass history with so many great photos. Did you write the script yourself or are you reading from something already published?

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks. I script my own videos, although the early ones were all ad lib, then just with a basic outline, but too many mistakes were getting through, so now I do a full script. I still make mistakes, but I catch them more often this way.

[@stevegordon5243]

In '85 or '86 I bought a 1982 2 door Cutlass Supreme Brougham with a V6. Was a beautiful car inside and out but a real POS. I took it to a couple different so called specialists for working on "computer" cars at that time and they could never figure out how to make it run correctly. It did get up to 33 mpg on the highway but always pinged and never ran right.

[@dave1956]

I had a new 1981 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. It was a lovely car but unfortunately the quality was poor and it was painfully slow. It sure looked great though.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I understand.

[@genxskeptic5816]

I owned a 76 Cutlass Supreme sedan that kept for 11 years. The 350ci engine was detuned because of emission stuff, but at least I didn’t have the stupid 85 mph speedometer.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Cool. Detuning can be fixed with . . . tuning. The 85 mph speedo could easily be turned into a 0 mph speedo, by repeatedly pegging it.

[@genxskeptic5816]

@@thehopelesscarguy I was too poor at the time to do what I wanted to do to that engine. But I also hated the oversized 55 that many of the cars had at the time. 🙄

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@genxskeptic5816 We've all been there, and most of us still are. It is like the old saying; "I do 55 twice every time I drive, once on the way up, and once on the way back down".

[@mjschicago56]

If olds would have gone retro with that 4th generation cutlass Supreme. Oldsmobile would still be here. GM rarely listen to the customers. That’s why they are struggling now.

[@johnelliott7375]

A different neighbor had a 75 with a 350 in the coupe and for a smog package car was nice with the floor shift.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I like them.

[@TonyM132]

I think you got the models confused at 19:36 when you said "...and the Cutlass Ciera going until 1999, although for its last three years it was no longer a Cutlass." For its last one year it was called just Ciera (no Cutlass), and that last year was 1996. If it had run through 1999 called Ciera, then that would've been its last four years, but there were no GM FWD A-body cars built after 1996. The late car called just Cutlass, an Olds version of Chevy Malibu, was made for three model years: 1997-99. These two models (A-body Ciera and Malibu-twin Cutlass) did not overlap in any same model year.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

My mistake.

[@TonyM132]

@@thehopelesscarguy After reading more comments since, I see now that was already pointed out by someone. I'm sorry I didn't see that first so I wouldn't have posted it again. But let me also say I am impressed by the video, all the great shots you found and edited in, and such a long story well told. You should have more views!

[@johnelliott7375]

The 3.1L was a great little runner.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Not terribly durable though.

[@barryrussell4106]

Wow great video I instantly suscribed

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks, much appreciated.

[@dickspits8819]

My family owned two cutlass in the past a 1976 & 1985 I loved both those cars the 76 was red with a white vinyl top,white leather interior and the 85 was diarrhea green with matching cloth interior we also owned a 79 grand prix and a 79 regal both were white

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks for sharing!

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

the corvair monza started the bucket seat craze, cutlass was a lil rocket with a V8

[@thehopelesscarguy]

That is a long craze, as it still seems to be going.

[@RandomGuy010]

Likely buying a 75 supreme next week. Last good year as far as I can tell. Would get a 72 if it wasn't three to four times more expensive.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Nice. A friend of mine used to drive a Maroon 73 Cutlass S with swivel seats. I always liked the car.

[@1Pureblood606]

Olds guy through and through. Had 2 -66s, 1 67 rag, a 75 ,a 85 ,86 ,even went as far as the silhouette!! Sad day when gm put the kibosh on Oldsmobile

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I understand.

[@johnelliott7375]

The coupe in 79 with the 350 was a good runner.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Was it?

[@smellsuperb1]

I owned two Cutlass coupes and never knew the first model was based on the Tempest 😲

[@thehopelesscarguy]

One could just as easily say the Tempest was based on it.

[@smellsuperb1]

@@thehopelesscarguy true, but I thought the Tempest was introduced slightly earlier. I definitely don't know for certain lol, I was born in 1970.

[@jeffreypope3876]

The Tempest was a Pontiac not a Olds The Cutlas started out as a F 85

[@johnelliott7375]

It took me a while to get accustomed by the square headlights. I was not a big fan of the 403. They were low revving motors and they had issues until later.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I don't think I have ever driven a car with a 403.

[@dvlzn]

i have a 1999 oldsmobile cutlass and its my first car. i have recently really got into “building/custom” cars but i don’t know anything yet, so i want to make it my project car. if i want to add side skirts etc, can i purchase 1999 chevy malibu body kits and install them or no? i looked on multiple websites for body kits and there is a lot more body kits for the malibu than the cutlass.

[@dvlzn]

i also want more horsepower, i’ve asked my friends about it because they know more about cars than me, and they said i should get turbo, is there anything else that could help, i would need better cooling and intake i assume so the engine doesn’t overheat or anything

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I've never done it myself, but as the parts from the 1999 Cutlass and Malibu are interchangeable, there shouldn't be any reason after market parts wouldn't also be interchangeable. As far as gaining hp, the place to start would be researching what parts are available for the engine you have. A turbo is certainly a way to gain power, but it isn't cheap, nor is it a simple starter project, particularly if there isn't a kit for your specific application. Intake and exhaust systems are usually where people start, although gains are modest. Ultimately in depends on how much money you have and how deep you are willing to dive in. Good luck.

[@dvlzn]

@@thehopelesscarguy you are amazing, thanks for the help.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@dvlzn Sure.

[@dianeadkins-diorio1783]

The Oldsmobile brand died in 2003, a mere four years after the last Cutlass model was discontinued in 1999...

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I did say another decade I guess, but yes, Olds did go away much earlier than the other divisions.

[@440_SIXPACK]

Olds was gone in April of 2004

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@440_SIXPACK ok

[@440_SIXPACK]

@@thehopelesscarguy ok

[@esjvv5651]

Never mentioned 1971🤔

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Didn't do a full year by year.

[@basilcarroll9729]

You could get the 400 engine in the 66 and 67 cutlass, not just in the 4-4-2

[@thehopelesscarguy]

ok

[@josermalavejr466]

YOU FORGOT THE 1968 CONVERTIBLE MY BUDDY HAD ONE AND I SENT HIM THIS VIDEO. BEFORE I WATCHED THE WHOLE VIDEO AND HIS CAR WAS LEFT OUT. DAM

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Sorry.

[@chrissullivan4496]

The 1980 General Motors cutlass Grand Prix caprice classic all had interchangeable parts. I worked with a car thief

[@thehopelesscarguy]

A lot of GM cars had interchangeable parts. I've seen several that the back half was a different car than the front half. A 79 Skylark/Nova, a 76 Riviera/88 and 84 Camaro/Firebird to name but a few. Of course this wasn't just a GM thing, but it was usually more obvious with GM models. I have a friend that considers "Oldsmobuick" a GM division.

[@georgewilson1184]

Olds was my favorite car followed by Pontiac then Plymouth & Eagle line then Mercury I will never understand G.M.s logic for giving the ax to the Rocket division or the Poncho division EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE CUTLASS moniker was the bread &butter car of Oldsmobile followed by the Delta 88 then ????? Omega

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Well with half their cars being a Cutlass of one kind or another, and their small cars being renamed with every restyle, all that leaves is the 98 and Toronado.

[@jonkurth3743]

If you wanted to go faster change the pistons .10 hours labor. 300 hp. 350 or 403.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

That is an option.

[@johnelliott7375]

The quad four ran good for what it was.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

It wasn't bad for the time.

[@hoisec2013]

Some shit happened around 1977...

[@thehopelesscarguy]

One could so.

[@keithnendza4901]

83 84 Hurst olds

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Yep

[@DoritoDoritio]

I searched for evolution because of russell phillips

[@thehopelesscarguy]

A sad reason.

[@stevenallen6245]

I guess Mines a frankin cutlass i got a 84 olds 2-door g-body and a 72 olds engine 😂💪🏾no ls swap for me😂💪🏾🙌🏾

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Nice.

[@edb8965]

W31

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Right

[@kenfrenchu7917]

He's wrong on the horsepower ratings.

[@asparagusjones1775]

Why don't you enlighten us with your proof as to why he is wrong, instead of blatantly spewing out false accusation.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Based on what?

[@ericharrison619]

Some how this came through in the Waterboy's voice...But momma said the Cutlass had more power and momma is right...you're wrong. 🤣

[@kenfrenchu7917]

@@ericharrison619 No, not really, as He saud a very low number, and I know better, as even Chiltons numbers say 370, and 390 HP for the W-30s, like the one I owned.

[@davebarnes6672]

I have all the history you need to know, after 1977, all Cutlass Supremes were forgettable

[@rockfordhx2768]

Father owns a 61 f85 cutlass 1/300 made we truly have that thing super mint it’s a blueish color

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Awesome.